Remembrance Day: Two-minute silence held across UK to mark Armistice Day

A two-minute silence has been held across the UK to mark Remembrance Day.

Veterans and dignitaries have gathered at locations including the Cenotaph in central London and the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire to commemorate the end of the First World War and honour the nation’s war dead.

The Duchess of Edinburgh addressed the crowd at the National Memorial Arboretum, reading an extract from For The Fallen, a poem by Lawrence Binyon, before observing the two-minute silence at 11am and laying a wreath.

Elsewhere, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle was among those who lay wreaths in a ceremony at Westminster Hall in London.

Crowds were also pictured gathering to pay their respects in ceremonies at Exchange Flags in Liverpool, and at Bristol’s Cenotaph.

The Duchess of Edinburgh during the Remembrance service at National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire (Jacob King/PA Wire)

Meanwhile Sir Keir Starmer has marked the 106th anniversary of Armistice Day in Paris with Emmanuel Macron.

The Prime Minister became the first British premier to attend the armistice ceremony in Paris since Winston Churchill during the the Second World War.

Crowds observe a silence at exchange Flags in Liverpool (Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

He and the French president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in the French capital.

Sir Keir’s visit to France to commemorate Armistice Day is a reminder that “we can never take the freedoms we enjoy in Europe for granted”, Defence Secretary John Healey said.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer at an Armistice Day event in Paris (REUTERS)

On social media site X, Sir Keir wrote: “On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, we pause to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.”

People during a ceremony to mark Armistice Day at the Cenotaph in Bristol (Ben Birchall/PA Wire)

Remembrance events were also held across the UK over the weekend.

The Royal Family attended at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert on Hall on Saturday evening, while on Sunday the King led the nation’s tribute to the country’s war dead during a poignant service of remembrance on Whitehall, watched by the Princess of Wales.

On the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, we pause to remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Lest we forget.

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) November 11, 2024

On Sunday night, London landmarks Tower Bridge and the Elizabeth Tower which houses Big Ben were illuminated in honour of Armistice Day.

More to follow.